


King of Galar

by wickedlywild



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions, Pokemon - Fandom
Genre: Champions match, F/M, Gen, Pokemon Battles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29808267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedlywild/pseuds/wickedlywild
Summary: The Champion's Match is nothing new to Raihan and Leon, so does this time around feel a lot more...exciting? The time has come for a match between long time rivals as Galar steps into a new era!
Relationships: Kibana | Raihan/Original Female Character(s), kabu/original character
Comments: 7
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

The Champion’s Cup matches were as lively as it ever was years past. Fans came to watch their favorite Gym Leaders compete to take on the Champion, excited by the theatrics that were on display. The second to last match was getting ready to begin with the finally two gym leaders about to be introduced. Nic stood on her side of the arena, stretching her arms over her head as she looked on to the otherside. Raihan doing some lunges and bouncing on his feet as if to get himself pumped up and excited for the announcer to get on with it. 

Nic placed her hands on the small of her back and bent back a little, hearing and feeling her back crack and letting out a satisfying sigh. A smile curling on her lips as she looked on once again and saw Raihan raising up his hand and giving her a little wave- a wave which she happily returned. 

**“THE LAST BATTLE IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE! THE FEISTY TOP DRAGON TAMER IN ALL OF GALAR RAIHAN AND THE DEVIL OF MOTOSTOKE HERSELF...NIC! LET’S MAKE SOME NOISE GALAR!”**

Raihan couldn’t help but laugh, even from a distance he could see Nic frown and drag her hand down her face as they both stepped out onto the field. She really hated that nickname but the media really ate that shit up! As much as she refused to admit it...he could tell that something about it made her feel a tiny bit like a badass. He had his hand slipped into his pockets as both Nic and him met at the pitch, giving her a look over and letting out a little whistle. Man she always did look good when she was ready to kick his ass in battle...something about that sent his excitement into overdrive. 

Or was he just a wee bit horny for his wife? 

Same thing. 

“Ms. Nic…we have to stop meeting like this…what would your husband think?” Raihan teased, flashing a fanged grin her way as she rolled her eyes, cocking her hip to the side. “Yes, what would my husband think?” she laughed. Nic would never tire of battling her husband, he had the same team and yet things were always so fresh and different each time! Ever since becoming a Gym Leader she had always loved this time of year. It was a lot of training but it was always the most exciting event in Galar. Something caught Nic’s attention and suddenly both of them were looking out towards the floating Rotom drone that showed their faces on the big screen. 

Both Raihan and Nic waved at the camera, “Mommy and Daddy Love you Drake!” The both cooed, blowing a kiss at the camera. They did so knowing that Key would direct his attention to the big screen and the baby would smile and giggle, the only downside to all this is that they couldn’t watch the matches with their son. 

This wouldn’t have been the first time they had been matched up for a battle at this event and even though Nic had no interest in taking on the helm she knew that Raihan wouldn’t let her live it down if she didn’t at least put up one hell of a fight. If anything she loved battling her husband, it was thrilling as it was watching him in action…wouldn’t be fair if she didn’t give him one hell of a fight. Nic couldn’t help but swell up a little bit though, knowing that this time of year was really important for Raihan…he had especially trained hard this year. He was almost a different kind of trainer all together! They both reached out and took each other’s hands to shake, however Raihan being the cheeky dragon that he pulled her hand up and kissed her gloved knuckles. The crowd went wild and Nic frowned in embarrassment, “H-Hey!” she hissed, pouting as Raihan could only laugh.

“To an exciting match babe”

“Yeah, good luck my love”

They parted to their own sides of the field and put on their game faces, the fiery passion for battle and each other starting to heat up the stadium as the battle finally began. There was something incredibly exciting about watching the couple get read for an explosive battle - both of them throwing up their signature poses as the announcer counted them down. 

**“READY. SET. BATTLE!”**

* * *

The roaring crowd hadn’t settled since the beginning of the match- Nic and Raihan once again meeting at the pitch and shaking hands. After a little fanservice for the crowd and an announcement concerning the big match tomorrow they FINALLY left the field. 

“I can’t believe you were THAT close to beating me” 

Raihan wasn’t all that surprised, but it was clear that that close call shook him up a little bit. His hand resting on her waist as they both headed entered the locker room, drenched in sweat. They always managed to get a little too into battling when they were going up against each other…the wild and unhinged aura that filled the stadium and by the time the match was over Raihan could barely hear Nic congratulating him. 

Once they were in and away from prying eyes, Raihan plopped down on a bench and groaned, already feeling nervous and achy. His heart was racing from the thought…until he felt Nic’s hand on his drenched back. His eyes glancing up towards her as she offered him a somewhat comforting smile. 

“Well you would’ve been pissed if I had half assed it right? I had to give you a run for your money babe” 

Nic leaned over and kissed his temple even though it was a bit sweaty. It had been such a long day for the two of them and thankfully things were over and done with until tomorrow. Even if it had been kind of close Raihan still pulled the win in the end and she could have not been happier! Arceus knows she would have felt awful taking that from him had things gone a different way. Nevertheless he won, and tomorrow he would once again find himself up against his long time rival and friend - Leon. She could tell that he was starting to think a little too much about the battle so Nic tugged at his arm a little bit, giving a bit of a smile as Raihan looked to her…returning his own tired smile as he got up from his bench. 

“Come on, let's hit the showers and get something to eat…Drake’s waiting for us” she said, watching as Raihan grinned a little bit…she knew that look. She knew that look and it made her frown as she felt her face heat up. 

“Raihan…No…”

“Come on…I know you’re still burning with passion from our match~” he teased, Nic huffing as he patted her rear and caused her to yelp playfully. She couldn’t stifle back her laughter as she trotted off ahead of him knowing Raihan was burning a hole into her backside as he chased after her. The two of them discarded their sweaty clothes near the standing showers and hoped in, Nic letting Raihan’s hands roam over her and hug her close - grateful that the rest of the colleagues had already cleared out and headed towards the after party at Rose of the Rondelands. Not that they really had anything to be embarrassed about...they were married after all! 

A little romping around in the shower here and there and the two were finally focusing on actually getting washed up. Raihan stood under the shower head as Nic scrubbed his back, becoming oddly quiet after fooling around. Suddenly lost in his own head for a minute which Nic once again took notice. “Rai?” her voice once again rattled him and he turned to glance at her over his shoulder. 

“Hm?”

“ What’s up?” Nic asked, letting him turn around so that his back was now facing the shower and washing away the suds. Raihan’s wet hands found her cheeks and he squished them causing Nic to fuss. “ Heh...nothing...just thinking” he said, which was the truth, that's all that he was doing.

Just...thinking. 

Nic didn’t buy it and reached up to squish his own cheeks, frowning once he let go of her own.

“Stop it”

“Stop what?” 

“THINKING!” she shouted, huffing a little as she let him go and put her hands on his chest - eyes softening just a bit. “You know how you get...especially when you’re worrying about...Leon” she said, Raihan letting out a soft chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Haha...yeah I know...sorry...I guess I’m just a little nervous…” he shrugged, being honest for once as he pulled away and turned off the shower. He turned back to face her with a smile, a little softness in his eyes and overall demeanor. 

“But...let’s not worry about that. For your sake and mine...I’ll stay out of my head so we can enjoy the rest of the night...sound good?” He leaned over to give her a kiss before grabbing the towels on the rack, handing one over to her. Nic sighed, but nodded. Happy to know that he would at least try not to get too caught up in his thoughts. She wrapped herself up as he did the same, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“ Let’s hurry up and get out of here...I’m starving!” she complained, her stomach rumbling right as the words left her mouth. 

Raihan nodded as she led them both out of the showers to get dressed and pack up the rest of their things- his worries still lingering in the back of his mind. Raihan wanted nothing more than to just...not worry about what the hell tomorrow was going to be like. He wanted to get some grub, kiss his son and drink some beer...it wasn’t a time to mope about and lose his nerve, he was going to the finals after all! 

The couple finished dressing and gathering their things, Raihan slipping his scarf over Nic’s neck so she wouldn’t catch a chill. Even though their destination wasn’t that far away you could never be too careful in the Wydon weather. The worry still lingering in his eyes made Nic frown a little more, gently touching his cheek. Her warmth gracing his face as he smiled, holding her hand and kissing the palm of it. 

“I’m fine Nichole…” 

He only said her full name when he wanted to stop talking about how he was feeling, a habit she had caught on quickly in the earliest days of their relationship. Nic sighed, offering him a tiny smile as she nodded, not saying anything else as he took the lead. Finally leaving the stadium to join their friends. 

* * *

“Peek a boo!” Key cooed, Drake giggling as he wiggled around in his high chair and babbled at his GrandKey. The rest of the group were chatting amongst themselves while also switching over to playing with the baby in Nic and Raihan’s absence. Before anyone could question where the married couple were they finally popped into the restaurant in a freshly changed pair of clothes. “About time!” Nessa called, her glare more so fixed on Raihan who played up the offence before grinning at the rest of them.

“What? We got...caught up with reporters and stuff...plus we had to shower!” he said- that statement wasn’t completely false. There had been reporters waiting after all, the shower just took a lot longer than expected. Everyone looked at one another, knowing that was complete bullshit...they all knew what they had been up to. 

Like a bunch of horny newlyweds. 

When Drake had his parents in his sights he started to yell and flail his arms at them, Nic swooping him up almost immediately and kissing him all over. “Awww there’s my baby boy! Did you see mommy and daddy battle today? Who were rooting for?” she asked, Drake patting her face with his little hands and giving a two tooth smile. Raihan slid over to greet his son and show him some love as he scooped him up from mother and held him high above his head. “He was rooting for his Daddy of course! I wasn’t gonna let my boy down!” he grinned and received a sharp elbow into his side. 

“Hey! Stop making him choose sides...besides he’s always gonna choose me anyways” Nic huffed as Raihan chuckled and handed him back to her and left a kiss on the side of her head, everyone chuckling as the couple finally got settled to relax. 

The light celebration was underway, the rest of the league members congratulating both Nic and Raihan on an amazing final battle and were pumped to see what tomorrow would bring. Raihan took up a beer and chatted away with Gordie and Nessa as Nic was busy playing with Drake while she sat near Milo, Kabu and Key. The younger gym leaders kept to themselves as the older ones were drinking and having loud conversations. Even in the middle of already good company, however, Raihan’s eyes kept wandering towards the entrance leading to the lobby of the hotel. He put the bottle to his lips as he tuned back into conversation with Gordie and Nessa just as Gordie spoke up. 

“Well look who FINALLY arrived to the party!” His voice drew the attention of everyone sitting around the table to a seemingly embarrassed Champion. Leon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “ Hehe sorry I’m late guys- had a few errands to run” he said, finally approaching the table and taking a seat as everyone welcomed him. As he slipped off his gym bag and jacket, Leon ordered himself a drink and greeted everyone at the table- quietly inserting himself into the conversation that was already going on. 

Leon chatted a while before getting up to go talk to everyone on the other side of the table as well- though admittedly he just wanted to go see his nephew and tickle those cute little baby cheeks of his. Finding himself suddenly engaged in a conversation with Nic as they spoke about today’s match. 

“You were really explosive out there today! I could practically feel the fire from Charlie! No wonder they call you-” 

“DON’T. EVEN. START” Nic said through gritted teeth, becoming flustered and Leon couldn’t help but laugh. It was cute how embarrassed she got when being called such a brilliant title! He settled himself finally, his eyes glancing up a little towards the other side of the table again and locked onto Raihan’s. They barely spoke a word to each other once he arrived, but all the same he offered his friend a smile as Raihan did the same- again going back to their respective conversations. 

Hours went by, the younger gym leaders finding their ways back to their cities by taxi into the late night. Milo and Nessa heading back home as well as Gordie, everyone saying their goodbyes. “I think it’s time to head to bed” Kabu yawned, getting up and stretching a little as Raihan chuckled. “Careful Kabu, your old man is showing” Kabu shot Raihan a playful glare as Key patted his chest a bit with a soft smile. “Well I guess we’re both old then, can’t hang out like we used to with you young folk” they laughed, Kabu leaving a gentle kiss on their temple. Nic smiled, looking over to Raihan. Admittedly she herself was getting pretty tired herself and she knew that Drake was up way later than he should have been.

“...It’s pretty late I should put Drake to bed too” she said, the baby letting out a tiny yawn as he seemed to be fighting falling asleep but failing. Raihan chuckled as Leon had gotten up as well and started to pick up his things to head off to his own apartment, He turned back to Nic as she got up. “You two go on to bed then, I’ll be up in a bit” Raihan muttered softly as he leaned down and kissed Drake on the head before kissing Nic. They shared a few soft words with one another before Nic turned her attention back to Leon. 

“Good night Lee, sleep well” 

Leon’s cheeks flushed as though he was caught sneaking away, offering Nic a warm smile as he nodded and waved to her. “ You too, good night” With that Nic headed up stairs to the hotel rooms with Kabu and Key, it being late and with Raihan’s match tomorrow neither Raihan or Nic thought traveling so late with a baby would be the best idea. So a nice hotel stay it was, it seemed as though Key and Kabu had the same idea. 

As soon as they left out of sight, Raihan and Leon were once again alone- rivals only a few feet apart from each other and hadn’t spoken much of anything since being in the other’s presence. Leon didn’t know why he felt nervous all of the sudden- maybe it was pre match jitters that he knew Raihan was also feeling. Either way he wanted to start heading home and prepping for tomorrow as soon as possible. 

“I guess I’ll...see you tomorrow, bright and early” He said with a light chuckle as he turned to leave, Raihan looking on as he just sighed- pulling his jacket off of the back of his chair and slipping it on. 

“Oi...hold up Lee, I’ll walk ya” 

Leon paused, opening his mouth in protest but got a firm smack on his back and jolted him a little bit. He turned to see Raihan at his side- watching him give a big fanged grin, his worries seeming to just melt away and relieved that somehow the tension was...gone. 

“Heh, alright” 

The cold was damning yet refreshing. Both men had only had one drink each considering neither wanted to nurse a hangover in the morning, so the cold air would help sooth whatever alcohol was still lingering. They opted not to take a taxi, Leon’s apartment wasn’t too far away from the hotel but it was still a bit of a walk. They stopped for a hot drink, met a few lingering fans that were excited for the match and then once again found themselves in total silence. Half way through the walk however they decided to take a short break, now that most of Wydon was asleep they could get a moment of privacy and not have someone come up asking for a picture or an autograph. 

Again the two men sat in silence, sipping their hot tea and admiring the lights in city quad. Once more Raihan was the first to speak up of the two. 

“How many times have we been here Lee?” 

Leon thought for a moment, leaning back as he looked up towards the starry night sky. He could recount every moment that he and Raihan had met here in Wydon around this same time. Raihan was always waiting for him at the front of the elevators at the Wydon Stadium, heading down the locker room and getting ready- then meeting right at the pitch before battle. 

Ever since Leon became champion as a teenager he and Raihan always found themselves at the same place years and years. He couldn’t help but smile fondly at Raihan’s declarations and his own confident retorts- though sombering at the images of Raihan’s frustrations in defeat and his own pained smiles towards the crowd as he once again took victory. Leon closed his eyes and let out a slow breath, it taking form in the cold air. 

“A lifetime's worth I’d imagine” He said, Raihan chuckling as he turned his gaze to the stars as well. 

“It doesn’t get too old for you does it? Seeing me at the pitch all the time...ever wanna just switch it up?” 

It was Leon’s turn to laugh. “ Course not, yer my rival. Plus everyone looks forward to our face offs” He quieted himself, eyes drifting towards Raihan as his gaze was still locked on the stars. Leon felt a lump in his throat, eyes softening as sudden dread filled the pits of his stomach. He wasn’t sure if he could handle another year of Raihan playing up his defeat...suffering in silence as he held back his frustrations. Even if he was married now it wasn’t as if he’d WILLING confide his frustrations to his wife. All these worries and frets swirling around in his head as he absent mindedly kept staring at Raihan- who definitely took notice. 

“Aye...Lee….LEE!” 

Leon completely spooked out of his thoughts as he came back to earth only to meet Raihan’s soured expression. “ Yer doin it again” he muttered, Leon unsure what he meant until Raihan flicked him in the forehead. “ H-Hey!” “ Stop it Lee...don’t look so pitiful” Raihan huffed, leaning forward as he breathed hot hair into his now cold hands. 

“You haven’t won the battle yet. So don’t count me out so fast” Raihan’s sharp eyes looked to Leon once again before flashing another fanged smile. “I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeve heh” There was that boisterous tone Raihan was so famous for- and once again it managed to take Leon out of his anxiety induced thoughts. He blinked before showing off a grin of his own followed by a laugh that echoed throughout the now quiet quad of Wydon. 

“ You’re absolutely right, I better watch myself!” 

Both men shared another laugh, picking up their empty cups and once again on their way to Leon’s apartment. They continued to reminisce on battles of the past, other memories, and even Raihan asking Leon what he was going to do after he was no longer champion. It was pretty amusing to think about, but Raihan’s confidence was very much welcomed. In truth...he never really thought of what he would do when he was no longer champion. No one was really running the league, as of right now it was a collective effort with himself and all of the gym leaders as well as some Macro Cosmos employees.

As helpful as everyone was trying to be, no one really knew how to run things like Rose had…

Leon wondered however, if he could maybe...be Chairman Rose. Of course nothing like him, things would definitely need to change within the company along with the name itself! He had been thinking about that at least, but was still far too embarrassed to really say it out loud. So Raihan only got a shrug and a whimsical laugh. “Maybe I’ll actually get a vacation who knows!” Leon grinned, looking to his friend who seemed displeased with that answer. “You sound like an old man...but in truth you could really use one. A LONG one” He grinned as Leon sighed, knowing that Raihan was absolutely right. 

“You’re not wrong...being Champion has made me feel a little old and weary…” Leon mused softly, eyes slightly annoyed thinking back on how his whole entire life was always consumed with his position as Champion. His friend took notice of this and gave him a hard pat on the back. “ Oi...don’t frown like that you’ll get wrinkles, not very sexy of you Champion Leon” he snickered, Leon growing a little embarrassed as he swatted at Raihan a bit. 

“Have you always been THIS annoying?” 

“You’re just mad because I’m right” 

Again they laughed, throwing their arms over each other's shoulders and pressing on through the quiet, cold Wydon streets. 

Although the walk wasn’t nearly as long as they had made it, the two finally reached the steps of Leon’s apartment. Leon sighed, turning to Raihan with a warm smile. Again a million thoughts running through his mind, but for a second he managed to calm down the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions to just...take in the moment. It had been a while since they had just been like...this. Friends, not rivals...and for a second Leon feared that they would never have a moment like this again after tomorrow’s match. 

Again Raihan took notice of the worry in Leon’s eyes and smiled, reaching and gently gripping his shoulder. “Hey...nuff of the sad eyes okay?” he said, reassuring Leon in his own Raihan way, “Tomorrow’s gonna be amazing...the best battle yet” he declared causing Leon to chuckle. He nodded, “You’re right” he said, holding out his hand- Raihan taking it immediately with a warm smile of his own. 

“See ya on the other side, hope yer ready for one hell of a battle” 

Leon grinned, both men gripping the other’s hand firmly. “Better give it all ya got” 

And with those final words they parted ways for the night. Tomorrow was a brand new day, but for them it was the same as it was year after year. However both men had parted ways with an air of new found confidence and excitement for the battle once again set for them- both feeling that this time around…

Things would be a little different. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Champion's Match is nothing new to Raihan and Leon, so does this time around feel a lot more...exciting? The time has come for a match between long time rivals as Galar steps into a new era!

Morning came around faster than expected and Raihan found himself unable to sleep in even a few more hours. The match wouldn’t start until later that evening, pre match festivities and all that- so he had plenty of time to spend relaxing and prepping. Sadly the dragon man was feeling a little too anxious to stay put and opted to go for a morning flight with Cruise. 

When he finally returned from shaking off the extra nerve he was surprised to see that Nic was up and about. “ Babe...what are you doing up at this hour?” It was barely 7am at this point, even if she was more of a morning person than he was it's not like she had anywhere to be or could even go with Drake here and all. Nic smiled, her husband could tell that she was still sleepy and couldn’t help but frown at her. 

“ Nic go back to sleep..” Raihan said quietly in protest as Nic just shook her head. “ Well you left so early this morning. I was a little worried” she yawned before wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head on Raihan’s chest. He chuckled, letting his hands find their way to her robed hips and leaned down to give her a kiss. 

“ Sorry...Nothing to worry about though, just needed some air” They shared a moment just holding each other before moving and settling onto the couch. Nic laid head on his shoulder as Raihan turned on the tv to catch the morning news. As soon as it started the sportscaster went full into today’s match. 

Talking about the odds of who would win, a few of them did not believe that Raihan had much of a chance considering his losing streak. Raihan sighed and leaned back- being used to all this talk of if he could hold his own or not was really starting to get old. Nic must have been feeling the same way. She took the remote from him and turned off the tv, looking up at him with soft eyes. 

“ Don’t listen to em” 

“ Don’t worry, I never do” Raihan laughed, looking at Nic and gently taking her chin- once again kissing her. Nic smiled before settling back into his shoulder, the air between quiet once more. They might not have been saying much, but Nic knew what was going through Raihan’s mind at this moment. He was worrying about the match, of course he was! Even if he had been here multiple times in his life he never stopped being nervous and even a little unsure about himself- despite the mask he put on after the loses.

There wasn’t much Nic could do to shake him out of it, after all even she still got nervous when doing battles and what not- but maybe this time he didn’t need her to shake him out of it. 

“I’m excited” 

Maybe he could do it himself. 

“Excited huh? Aren’t you excited every year?” Nic said quietly, looking up at him and surprised to see such a calm and bright look in his eyes. Raihan smiled a little and chuckled, nodding. “Yeah...but something about this feels even more exciting than all those other times ya know? This time…” he paused in his words before turning to look at Nic fully, again flashing a brilliant smile at her as she was a little taken aback by it...very much in awe. 

“...I’m ready to give Lee hell” 

Nic took a moment, studying his face- engraving this moment into her mind. It put her at ease seeing him like this. Hearing him like this. Not a quiver of doubt in his voice as he spoke about his excitement. Relief washed over Nic as she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a squeeze, burying her face into his shoulder with a smile.

“ That’s my Rai” she said, pulling away and giving him a bright grin just as Drake started to cry. They both looked over towards the room as the cries got louder, Raihan getting up from the couch and stretching. “ Let’s go get him. Maybe we can sneak in a few more hours of sleep before getting something to eat?” Nic nodded, getting up from the couch- Raihan once again slipping his arm around her waist as they sauntered off to grab their son and coax him back to sleep alongside them. 

* * *

The extra hours worked wonders for the small family, all of them woke up and were absolutely refreshed! A hearty lunch later seemed to make the afternoon go by faster as well. Thankfully no one had bothered the small Hammerlocke family during their meal...however that might have been due to the added security sent their way. 

“Did they REALLY have to send 3 guys to stand watch for fans?” Nic asked in a whisper as she wiped the food off of Drake’s face, the baby babbling and chasing the napkin with his tiny hands in an attempt to snatch it from his mom. Raihan felt a little embarrassed that she even mentioned it, having done his best to ignore their presence while he tried to eat his meal with his family. 

“Well you know...I am KINDA a big deal. I mean today is the big match with yours truly...who knows who might be stalking me~” Of course he was kidding, his wife was not all that amused. 

“Ha ha...okay Mr. funny man” she muttered, taking notice of the clock inside the dining area- letting out a little sigh. 

“It’s almost time to head over huh?” she asked, Raihan’s eyes turning to the clock as well. He smiled. “Yeah, better shake a leg” he said, getting up from his seat and picking up Drake. He tossed him up in the air, grinning at the way he giggled in pure amusement. Nic grabbed the baby bag as she stood up and went to Raihan’s side, smiling as he slipped his arm around her waist and started to head out of the dining hall- the three bodyguards following close behind them. 

So maybe there was a little truth in what Raihan had said about being a pretty big deal today. As soon as they stepped out of the hotel they were nearly surrounded by fans! Everyone waving their banners for Raihan, wishing him good luck and also promising to cheer for him as loudly as they could. Raihan of course was eating all of it up, waving to his fans and giving them a bit of a wink. Nic never would get used to this kind of attention even after being gym leader for a few years at this point, Raihan would always be the pro. One of the bodyguards had waved down a Taxi for them, though the stadium was too far it would have been safer to take to the skies to avoid making even more crowds- especially with Drake in hand. 

They all settled into the buggy and soon were off in the air. Drake having a wonderful time being held to the window and seeing all the buildings grow smaller under them and the pokemon that were flying past them. A nice quiet ride with only the sound of their son’s laughter, Nic couldn’t help but stare at her husband as they drew closer to the stadium. His calm and cool demeanor was ever so present, but she still couldn’t help but feel a little nervous for the match. Her mind started to fill with the disappointed look on his face as he hid the pain, the frustrated groans and debates on what he could have done differently or even better, the way he would shut everyone out who wanted to help-

“Nichole?” 

Shaken out of her thoughts, Nic noticed Raihan staring at her. She smiled and shook her head in an attempt to reassure him that nothing was wrong before getting up and joining him on his side of the buggy. Once more her head found its way to his shoulders as Drake finally settled into Raihan’s lap and was too leaning against him. “Today’s match will be something…” she said softly, gently grabbing Raihan’s hand and giving it a tiny squeeze as he could only nod. 

“You know, your fans said they were going to be cheering for you...but Drake and I will be cheering the loudest…” 

“Heh...yeah...I’m sure I’ll hear ya from the stands” 

This time Raihan squeezed her hand back as they both turned to look at each other. His eyes were soft as well as Nic’s- all he could do was smile at how beautiful and gentle his wife looked in this moment. “Thanks...for always being my number one Nic” he said, smiling a little more as she seemed to be a little embarrassed from the comment, nudging his shoulder with her own. 

“That was a given...but you’re welcome” she said softly as their taxi finally got to the stadium, landing. Raihan got out first, offering his hand to Nic as he helped her out of the buggy. Reporters were already there to snap pictures of the couple as they headed to front doors, Raihan and his family stopping to take a few good pictures before disappearing inside of the building. It was time to part ways. Raihan wouldn’t be able to see his family till after the match...and he could tell Nic as much as she smiled- was a little nervous to see how he’d come back to them afterwards. 

Again he smiled with the brilliant confidence that he had, looking at his son and giving him a kiss on his chubby little cheeks before handing him off to Nic. Drake fussed, not wanting to be away from his father which only made Raihan laugh. He leaned over and gently ruffled the tiny bit of hair on his head. “ Don’t worry buddy, Daddy will see you soon. Don’t forget to cheer for me” he cooed before turning his attention to Nic. Raihan gently held her cheek before leaning down to give her a sweet kiss, letting it linger before pulling away. “ See ya” he said softly, turning with his bag and heading towards the elevator. Nic sighed, but smiled all the same...not feeling so tensed up as the elevator doors opened, taking in a tiny breath before calling back out to him. 

“I love you babe! Give him hell!” 

Raihan turned as he entered the elevator, grinning widely as he waved back to her. “LOVE YOU TOO!” The doors closed and finally took him down to the locker rooms below. The ride wasn’t long, but it allowed him to prepare himself mentally for the battle ahead. 

It was going to be different this time, he wasn’t sure how- but he could feel it. 

Leon was going to have to be on his absolute A game today. 

* * *

As nervous and restless as Raihan had been earlier that day, he knew he couldn't say the same for his pokemon. It always amazed him how even when faced with a formidable foe they still found it to be the most exhilarating thing for them. Anything that let them go all out was pure bliss and joy. He had to say...he really admire that about pokemon. 

“Are you excited?” 

Cruise, Raihan’s ace pokemon chittered happily as he continued to nibble away at the protein that Raihan had given to his pokemon team. Raihan smiled, giving Cruise a little on the head as he looked out to the rest of his crew as they ate away. He had gotten a little work out in as the time for battle was only an announcement away, wanting them to be nice and warmed up before the match. 

It seemed to do wonders- everyone on his team was feeling great and pumped! Even he enjoyed himself a berry or two with his team as he turned his attention to the monitor, seeing news once again speak about the match. Seeing his and Leon’s picture together side by side made him chuckle, again this wasn’t anything new- they did this every year. “ They really should swap out those pictures...they’re old as dirt” he mused, turning back to his team. 

“Oy gang, listen up” All of his pokemon’s eyes were now on him as he cleared his throat and stood up. “Today’s nothing new, but it is special….we’ve all been here before- except for you Bubby...this is your first time” the Garchomp let out a roar when acknowledged, his tail whipping around eagerly- clearly ready for a fight. Raihan laughed as he continued on “We’ve been up against Lee’s team before, but that doesn’t mean he’s gonna use the same old tricks like before. But just like him, we got a few new tricks of our own right?” he grinned giving his team a thumbs up. 

“We’re gonna go out and give them a hell of a battle. Win or lose...I’m proud of you chaotic lot…” his eyes softened as his pokemon collectively cheered. He was proud of his team, they had trained so hard year after year, even in defeat they continued to train and even kept him encouraged for the next time around. He really did love his pokemon and would always be thankful for them. 

**“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ARE YOU READY FOR THE BIGGEST MATCH OF THE YEAR?!”** The announcer’s voice bellowed as the crowd started to cheer loudly and suddenly Raihan’s signature wild fanged grin spread across his face. He tugged down his headband, holding all 6 pokeballs in hand as he recalled them all back to them. Raihan tucked them away as he turned to head towards the field pitch. He stopped short at the entrance however, feeling his energy, his excitement, his nerves all collectively churning inside the pit of his stomach. 

And yet- he had never felt such a wild need to battle. Eyes slitting as he felt the fire in his chest start to burn brighter. Would this year be his year? Who knows...but he was ready to pour his heart and soul and give it everything he got! 

“Showtime gang. Let’s make him work to keep that spot” 

Raihan made his way out of the locker room. His strides long, but his pace slow as he let his mind swirl around one final time. His nails dug into the palms of his hands as his heart beat started ringing in his ears, breathing slowly before taking pause. He took a minute to think about his wife and son, how they were in the audience waiting for the match to start. Drake wouldn’t understand what was going, but Raihan he’d be excited to see his dad on the big screen once again...however it was Nic that he was really thinking about. He put his hand over his chest to calm himself down some, thinking about her final words to him. 

**_“I love you babe! Give him hell!”_ **

“Yell at the top of your lungs for me Nic…” he said softly, a new wave of confidence and excitement washed over him as he proceeded onward. He’d make her proud, he was damn sure of it!

As soon as he stepped foot onto the field the crowd went into a frenzy, looking up and seeing that Leon was making his way towards the pitch as well. He smirked, both men locking eyes with each other as they were once again face to face at the pitch. Leon had a different energy to him. In fact it was a lot more exciting than his usual nervous and sad demeanor- this time he knew he was in for it...and clearly he was ready to go all out. In a way that it was comforting, knowing that Leon too had confidence in this match as much as he did. There wouldn’t be any room for pity or holding back...at long last they were truly on equal footing. Even Leon could feel the change in their atmosphere- and though the crowd roared with anticipation, both men tuned them out and only focused on each other. Leon gave a warm, nostalgic smile. 

“How many times have we been here Raihan?” 

Leon grinned, taking his cape off and tossing it off to the side. Raihan, chuckling at his own words, once again tugging at his head band.

“A lifetime's worth I imagine” Raihan responded as Leon let out a hearty laugh. Their eye contact never breaking as Leon held out his hand towards Raihan. 

“Give it all you got Raihan” 

“You better not hold back Leon” 

Their hands clasped into each other and the crowd once again went wild. RotomCameras floating around them and showing off their manly display on the large LED screens. Nic bouncing Drake on her lap as he once again saw his daddy on the big screen, babbling with excitement. She smiled as she looked to her son before her eyes turned her attention to the screen as well, her heart a fluttering mess and her stomach filled with Butterfrees. “Good luck Rai” she whispered under her breath as the announcer’s voice bounced off the stadium walls. 

**“GALAR’S CHAMPION VS GALAR’S STRONGEST DRAGON TAMER!! WHO WILL RISE TO VICTORY? LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!”**

Leon and Raihan jumped back, reaching for their first pokeballs. Both with wild, childlike grins reaching from ear to ear. 

**“EXCALIBUR LETS GO!”**

**“ DIJON SHOW EM HOW IT'S DONE!”**

* * *

Nic’s foot tapped rapidly against the ground, her hands clasped together as she watched the match unfold. They were already an hour in and both Leon and Raihan were truly evenly matched. She could hear people chattering around them that this was going on longer than anyone had expected, a few of the naysayers even complaining that Raihan should have lost by now. 

“There’s no way he’s gonna beat Leon” 

“It’s going to end the same as last years” 

She hadn’t meant to shoot such a harsh glare their way, but by the sudden fear in their eyes and buttoning of their lips, Nic knew they could feel the heat of her irritation as they spoke ill of her husband. “Nic” Kabu’s voice took her out of the raging wildfire that was brewing in the pit of her gut, NIc turning to look at him as he sighed. 

“I’m fine. It’s fine” she muttered, feeling his hand take hold of her knee to settle it from shaking. Nic looked to his hand before looking back up at him and her shoulders slumped. “Do I really look like that big of a wreck?” she asked, only to chuckle when Kabu nodded in honesty. Nic couldn’t help it! She had to sit through some painful aftermaths when it came to Raihan battling Leon...those were probably the roughest moments in their whole relationship...so she couldn't help but be a little nervous. She had all the faith in Raihan no doubt about it, but still this match could go either way and she knew that even Raihan wasn’t overconfident enough to think it would automatically go in his favor. 

Her eyes locked back onto the battle. As of right now both sides had 3 pokemon each left and if she was being 100% honest this was their most exciting battle yet! Raihan had managed to take out Leon’s first pokemon almost effortlessly much to somes surprise- and a fews disappointment. Leon hadn’t backed down however, sending out his next pokemon and knocking Raihan’s out of the match. It went on like this for a little while and now here they were- Nic getting distracted by her own thoughts as she heard the crowd cheer again. She looked up to see that another one of Raihan’s pokemon had been knocked out, now he was down to two and the obvious stress showed up on her face. 

Before she knew it she had stood up to her feet, clasping the railing tightly as she looked to Raihan. His face for a second...faltered and immediately Nic frowned. Taking in a deep breath as he reached for his next pokemon. 

“YOU GOT THIS BABE!! NO SURRENDER!!!” She practically screamed, scaring the hell out of everyone who was sitting around her. Key instinctively covering Drake’s ears so as to not let the boy be spooked by his mother’s fiery spirit. Raihan heard her over the crowd and immediately locked eyes with her- the look on her face screamed ‘Don’t get discouraged...or I'm gonna kick your ass’ to which was pretty damn effective. He smirked, turning back Leon as he tossed out his Garchomp Bubby. The fight continued on as Nic smiled, feeling a little less tense as she sat back in her seat and let out a deep breath once again. Her heart racing so fast it almost felt that it would pop out of her chest any second. 

“I don’t know who that was more for...Raihan or you” Kabu laughed, as Nic’s cheeks flushed and she nudged him a little. He wasn’t wrong...she needed a little pep talk herself. This match was very stressful after all!

Once again the match lingered on, back and forth they went as their pokemon gave it their all. It was funny to see Leon’s Mr. Rime going toe to toe with his Garchomp and getting completely knocked out. It went to show that type advantages weren’t everything after all, even the few naysayers were impressed! More importantly everyone could see that both Leon and Raihan were actually having a lot of fun this time around. Neither of them were feeling limited to their roles, they were just two best friends hashing out a long time rivalry.

Even Kabu had to admit that he had never seen Leon look so...happy in battle. For as long as he had been a part of the league and as long as Leon had been champion, the once wide eye and battle ready lad who had such an infectious spark somehow dulled as he got older. Maybe it had been Chairman Rose’s doing- the man had nearly controlled every aspect of his Champion life up until about 3 years ago. Even after the man had been jailed for his crimes Leon still had yet to regain any sense of pure joy he once had as a boy. It had always been about business and presence, putting on one hell of a show even if he held back a little against his co leaguers. 

So this truly was a sight to behold, and it made the old man swell up with relief. He wondered if the other gym leaders had noticed too and if they had felt the same way as he did. 

“Nic is louder than most of the crowd here, I’m a little jealous!” Leon laughed, Raihan not being able to help but smirk as he rubbed his thumb across his nose, “Heh, she’s a one woman cheering section...and all that cheerin if for me mate!” he said right as Bubby dodged Leon’s Dragapult’s attack. He had to stay focused, not time for chummy talk with his rival! 

It seemed as though Leon could read his body language and took focus himself, though both of them still had boyish grins plastered all over their faces. 

The excitement of it all was finally back. No longer did these Champion matches feel like such a slog to get through. For once he was actually...having fun battling. He wasn’t even feeling nervous about battling Raihan like he normally was, no dread- nothing. Just pure unfiltered joy! He watched as Raihan’s Garchomp bobbed and weaved, avoiding attacks and taking a few hits from other ones. Even the pokemon seemed to be having a good time! Raihan even looked like he was loosened up, not stiff or uptight or...scared. It really made Leon happy knowing that Raihan was having just as much fun as he was. 

But he’d be damn if he’d go down without one hell of a fight first! 

Watching the two with such poise and finesse really made this exceptionally entertaining to everyone in the crowd, surly even those who were watching from home were feeling all the excitement. They had never witnessed Galar’s King and Titan battle so intensely- it was anyone's guess who’d take the crown this time around, though most surely still believed that Raihan couldn’t pull through. Nonetheless this would be a battle for the ages! 

Both Raihan’s Garchomp and Leon’s Dragapult put up one hell of a fight against each other, so much so that it ended with a double knock out! The crowd watched as the two broke out into a fit of laughter at the absurd outcome. “A tie? We actually tied?!” Raihan laughed, wiping the forming tears from his eyes as Leon took off his snapback to fan himself a little- he was laughing so hard he managed to heat up a bit. “ Has that ever happened? A double knock out? That’s definitely one for the books!” he laughed, nearly doubling over. 

Everyone watched the jumbo screens, muttering amongst themselves at their reaction to the double knock out. Even Kabu was a bit amused by this, never had he seen the two actually...well tie in anything. “That’s definitely a first…” he said, looking to Nic as she watched the screen quietly. Seeing Raihan laugh so genuinely in the middle of battle, a real true laugh and smile that wasn’t just for show...well it made Nic swell up with pride for her husband. She rested her hand on her heart and sighed in relief, the warmth of her eyes and smile catching Kabu’s attention- he couldn’t help but smile as well. 

“I’ve never seen him laugh like this in the middle of a battle…” she said softly, feeling a little emotional, but quickly shaking it off as the two were getting back to their battle, “...I’m glad he’s having so much fun. I’m glad they both are” Nic turned to Kabu, her eyes glossy a bit as he felt him wrap an arm around her shoulder. 

“Me too…” he said, looking back out towards the arena as the two set out their next pokemon, “Whatever happens...at least they enjoyed this time together” 

* * *

And so the battle continued on, 3 pokemon left between the two trainers. Once more the arena was filled with the loud cheers of fans, this time cheering for both of them equally! It seemed as though Raihan was changing a few minds in the stands though it went somewhat unnoticed. He was too focused on the battle, the roaring crowd merely muffled as his eyes followed the battling pokemons movements.

Calling out attacks and defenses left and right, countering every move that Leon was making and forcing the Champion to change up a few moves here and there. He was on his ass like white on rice! The adrenalin was coursing through his veins intensely, breathing so heavily it almost sounded like a snarl from a fearsome beast! His heart was beating so hard against his chest he was almost scared he’d pass out. The excitement was intense...nothing he had ever felt in any of the years before this.

The only other time was when he watched his wife fall as they were attacked by a Gigantamaxed Garbador in his gym, however that was less exciting and more fear inducing admittedly. 

Raihan wasn’t the only one feeling the intensity, even Leon was starting to sweat a little bit and breath heavy- the two locking eyes for a moment and Raihan could read his mind almost instantly. 

“ _I’m not giving up the crown so easily”_

Raihan tongue ran over his exposed fang as his grin grew wide and wild. He expected nothing less from the Champion himself, with all his worries and concerns for him out of the way...Leon was even more powerful and unhinged as ever! 

He wouldn’t have wanted it any other way! 

They called for their pokemon to attack simultaneously once again, both pokemon being hit hard at the same time and once again the one on one ended up in a double knockout. Without hesitation they called out more of their pokemon and again the same result. Both Leon and Raihan breathing heavily and staring each other down, reaching a hand to his shoulder to rub it a little. All the tension was starting to make his body ache, must have been the same for Raihan because he started doing the same thing. 

“Well this is a Champion of a time we’re having eh Rai?” Leon said, taking a second to stretch his arms a little bit as Raihan did the same with his legs. He was damn near sweating under his hoodie but refused to take it off- not wanting to ruin the whole Gym leader effect. Raihan grinned, “Don’t expect me to carry on that dumb pun of yours once I whoop your ass” he chuckled, again Leon grinned right back at him. 

“You won’t have to, I’m not letting you win” 

“Heh, better make it count then!” 

They called out their last two, the crowd going into an immediate uproar as they saw Leon’s glorious Charizard King and Raihan’s Durladon Rolex. Seeing the two meant only one thing- the stadium was about to go into a total rumble! The fans were excited, even Drake- being the unaware baby that he was, wiggled in Key’s lap and babbled to the chanting. Nic’s heart pounding in her chest as she gripped her knees, the chatter around her once again growing unconfident of Raihan pulling a win. King was powerful, and Gigantimaxed he was even more of a force to be reckoned with! However Raihan had already proven that type advantages meant nothing when you had skill to back up and pull a win. 

Her stomach churned and her breath was shaky, watching both of their pokemon going hard at each other almost immediately. Rolex was slow, but managed to keep up a great defense as King attacked- King getting blasted and knocked around in return for the hard blows. The roars from them both managed to shake Nic to her core as her voice managed to find its way back out and mixed with the rest of the crowd. Exhilarating, absolutely breathtaking! It was damn near rapid fire as Leon and Raihan shouted out attacks and defense- they were both evenly matched!

Brows covered in sweat from both the intense yelling and King’s flames, Raihan pulled down his headband a little and glared. King’s flames were dangerous, but he knew Rolex could handle himself. Years of always being beaten by the overgrown fire lizard- it was truly his time to shine. King had narrowly dodged a Dragon Claw, but was hit with a Thunderbolt...slowing him down a bit. 

Raihan caught the slight worry in Leon’s eyes and continued to push on with the attacks, not giving the Charizard much time to even recover. However Leon countered and landed a few aerial attacks himself that did a little damage to Rolex, but the steel dragon was an immovable force! It seemed as though in their base forms they were once again evenly matched, not able to shake the other. 

There was only one thing left to do, and that was to serve up the main event!

Both men called their pokemon back and the stadium music grew louder and bounced all over the walls. The bands around their wrists started to glow with a magnificent red light, their pokeballs now encased in the same red light as they grew in size. Both men caught the other’s eyes, neither one of them spoke but shared a mutual understanding and feeling. 

This was it. 

“GIVE HIM ONE HELL OF A SHOW KING!” 

“No backing down now, LET’S TAKE THAT TITLE ROLEX!” 

The stadium shook as the barriers went up and the crowd collectively gasped. The pokemon growing and changing form before their eyes, no one ever got tired of seeing it! The red glow dispersed and both pokemon let out a mighty roar at one another taking stance as they started to charge up for the final round. Leon was the first to make a move, surly ready to end it all with Charizard's strongest move- however Raihan wouldn’t let his Duraludon fall. “ ROLEX DEPLETION!” He shouted, a purplish light surrounding him as he blasted it out towards King. It caused King to stumble a bit as he shot off his own attack, both pokemon getting hit and damaged- admittedly the Duraludon a little worse off. 

The crowd cheered, but as the smoke cleared there was another collective gasp as they saw that Rolex had not fallen. He was standing tall and firm even with being heavily damaged. Leon looked in awe...it had been the first time Rolex had ever held strong against one King’s powerful G- max move and for a second his heart had nearly stopped. 

Had...he always been such a towering and intimidating pokemon? 

Leon held his hand out and called for King once more. “ KING USE WILDFIRE!” he yelled, yet as Charizard was seemingly charging up- nothing happened. The lingering heat and debris from both attacks caused Leon’s eyes to water a little bit so as to not dry out, so his vision was a little off. He wasn’t seeing things however and King was unable to attack, his signature move was rendered useless. Only now was he recalling the details of Duraludon’s special move, but the realization came a little too late as his eyes once again focused on Raihan as he stood amongst the rubble and embers skewed about the field. It was as if time itself had been slowly down and he could see every little detail of Raihan even at a distance. His chest heaving as they locked eyes, how small his pupils had become, and how his fang glistened in the glow of the flames. Truly in this moment Raihan had become more than just a rival even after all this time- now he was a wild,unstoppable force to be reckoned with. The realization shook Leon to the core and for the first time in a while during a battle…

He felt...free. 

Suddenly both pokemon had regressed in their large size and were back to normal, both of them breathing heavily as they were now on their last leg of the battle. This was it, it was now or never! Leon’s eyes glistened and his fist clenched tighter, looking up towards King and taking in a deep breath. The crowd’s voice once again rang in his ears as he called for a classic signature attack from his beloved Charizard. 

**“KING! USE FLAMETHROWER!”**

**“ROLEX! USE DRAGON RUSH!”**

The attacks clashed in a massive explosion, shaking up the whole stadium as it filled with smoke once more. Nic stood to her feet quickly, clutching her chest tightly with both of her hands as she waited along with the rest with baited breath. The smoke thick and not easily dispersing- where had the mighty pokemon and their trainers disappeared to? Her heart was ringing in her ears once again and she shut her eyes, too afraid to look as the smoke started to lift a bit- both Charizard and Duraludon seemingly standing in the middle of it all. However, she wasn’t able to look away for long, telling herself that whatever happened...no matter what...she was going to be there to help Raihan through it. Nic stood tall and watched as she did her best to catch her breath and simultaneously swallow the forming lump in her throat. A pokemon was wavering in stance before falling to the ground, unable to continue the battle. However...the crowd was utterly silent in awe...and disbelief. 

The mighty King had fallen. 

You could nearly hear a pin drop in the entire place, no one uttered so much a word as the smoke finally cleared and everyone could see that they had indeed not mistaken it. Leon’s Charizard was completely knocked out, laying flat on the field- only tired yet satisfied grunts emitting from his throat. Leon looked towards his Charizard as his breath caught in his throat, himself in a slight state of shock. On instinct he recalled his pokemon and held the pokeball in hand, gazing at it for a moment with soft eyes as a smile curled up on his lips finally. “Rest well King, you gave a champion- heh...you gave one hell of a battle” he spoke softly before tucking the ball away. Raihan still stood there, looking a little less intimidating than before but he too seemed frozen in place. Although he recalled Rolex back without much of a word himself, he still stood there only able to hear his breathing and his own heart beat. His vision was a little blurred and he almost seemed, dazed and confused. What happened? What was going on? Was the battle over? And if it was...who won? He watched as Leon made his way towards him, which caused his stomach to turn into knots as Leon now was in arms reach of him. Raihan assumed the worst had happened, slowly lifting his head to congratulate Leon for yet another win. 

However, something peculiar accrued in that moment. 

Leon’s strong arms wrapped tightly around Raihan and he received a hard squeeze as his laughter filled Raihan’s ears suddenly. The taller one of the two felt himself being lifted off the ground and spun around before being set down once again, heavy hands clasping down on his shoulders as Raihan hunched forward. The wide, tearful yet over joyed smile on Leon’s face was even more confusing- Leon had never cried winning a battle before...so why- 

“YOU DID IT RAI. YOU REALLY DID IT!” 

Did what? What did he- 

“YOU BEAT ME! YOU’RE GALAR’S NEW CHAMPION!” 

Leon’s words didn’t register, nor did the wild screams of the crowd in the stadium. Raihan looked away for a moment, looking towards everyone in the stands as well as the giant screens that had his face plastered all over them. His eyes finally settled back on Leon as he seemed to slowly but surely come out of his confused daze- the reality of everything hitting him hard as his body started to tremble a little. 

“Did I-” Raihan couldn’t find his words, at least not before an unsightly amount of tears started to well up in his eyes as Leon nodded, grinning and patting both his shoulders followed by a gentle grip. “ Yeah...Yeah you did Rai. Congrats…” Leon’s eyes welled up with tears as well, the feeling of happiness overwhelming the feeling of loss. No, he wasn’t sad his title was gone- he was damn near overjoyed. It was as though there was some kind of release, if it had been anyone else there would have been a sadness weighing in his heart, but not this time. His rival, his best friend, someone he cared for so deeply...had finally achieved his ultimate goal and bested him after years of defeat. 

**“I DON’T BELIEVE IT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! GALAR’S CHAMPION LEON HAS BEEN DEFEATED...BY GALAR’S #1 GYM LEADER RAIHAN!”** the announcer practically screamed over the roars and cries of the crowd, confirming Raihan's amazing win. 

Leon watched as Raihan’s face twisted as if the last wall trying to keep his emotions in check had finally fallen. He felt himself collapsing in Leon’s arms as he wrapped his own around him and held him tight, afraid if he let go this moment would disappear. Raihan had never heard himself cry out in such a relieved wail as the cheering finally caught up with him and he could hear everyone scream out his name. His grip tightened on Leon as he just cried, years and years of defeat and frustration really had been building him up for this moment. A moment as much as he claimed would be his...he had never believed that it would be. Raihan felt Leon pat him on the back as he started to pull away, now it was him gripping Leon’s shoulders as he was trying to find his words. Leon didn’t know what he had expected for him to say, but “ WHERE’S MY WIFE?!” surely wasn’t it. He couldn’t help but laugh, of course he’d want Nic to share in this moment with him right by his side, and thankfully he wouldn't have to wait much longer. 

Nic had already been pushing her way past people in the stands, some trying to get out of her way before getting mowed over as she shouted a barely heard apology and headed towards the end of the stands. She gripped the railing tightly and hoped over the side- the drop thankfully not too far as a few of the league staff panicked that she’d hurt herself. As soon as she touched down on the turf covered field she was off, losing her flats in the moment as she bounded towards Raihan and Leon. The very sight of Nic reduced Raihan to tears once again and with a gentle push from Leon, he took off to meet her half way. They crashed against each other, Nic nearly knocking Raihan over as they both cried in each other's arms. “ RAIHAN! BABY YOU-” Nic couldn’t much finish her words, pulling back to look at him and hold his tear covered cheeks. 

She pulled him down for a kiss, gentle pecks to his lips as she couldn't stop himself from blubbering like a child- the victory overwhelming. Nic held his cheeks and smiled, wanting him to look at her and when he finally did she could see his big and tearful smile. 

“Nic...Nic…I...I-!!” his voice was shaky, but he pushed through the tears, “I did it!” 

“You did it baby...you really did it!” Nic cried, pulling him back down tears and all as they shared a kiss once more. Neither of them could yet properly process what had just happened, the match of the century had went in Raihan's favor! A moment that would start the beginning of his and his family's life in Galar. Leon watched the two embracing each other as his heart finally settled down a little. His reign over Galar finally coming to an end, but was too a new beginning for him as well. With a bright grin he made his way towards Raihan as him and Nic parted, Nic taking a step back as more happy tears shed. Leon and Raihan locking eyes, smiling at one another before Leon thrusted his arm up in the air. "GALAR'S #1 GYM LEADER, THE DRAGON TAMER HIMSELF...I HOPE GALAR'S READY FOR THE UNSTOPPABLE RAMPAGE OF YOUR NEW CHAMPION!" He shouted, his voice getting lost in the cheering crowd, as the announcer's voice blared through the speakers. 

**“THREE CHEERS FOR OUR NEW CHAMPION...THE GREAT RAIHAN!”**


End file.
